In retail settings, it is common to display various types of small electronic products, such as cellular telephones, remote controls, calculators, electronic schedulers, and so on, in a retail display that permits potential customers to hold and use these electronic products in an intended manner. However, it has been found that it is necessary to tether such small electronic products to the retail display in order to preclude theft.
While in some retail displays the displayed products are simply tethered to a common base via a steel cable, a coiled cord, or the like, it is becoming increasingly common to employ a retail display product security system in order to help preclude theft of small electronic products. The various components of one such security system are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,771 (Leyden et al) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,098 (Leyden et al), which patents are incorporated herein by reference. Typically, such systems use miniature electrical cables, also known as multiconductor cords, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,986 (Peterson et al), which patent is also incorporated herein by reference, to couple displayed products to an alarm system through a cord take-up device, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,481 (Wheeler et al), which patent is also incorporated herein by reference.
In such security systems, the free end of each multiconductor cord is permanently connected to a sensor containing a microswitch. Most preferably, the sensor is very securely adhered by means of adhesive or the like to a portion of the displayed product, such that there is minimal interference with the displayed product, and such that it is extremely difficult to detach the displayed product from the sensor. Typically such detachment cannot be done without damaging part of the sensor, and/or the displayed product. The multiconductor cord effectively tethers the displayed product to the retail display and forms part of an alarm circuit. If the displayed product becomes detached from the microswitch, the multiconductor cord is cut, or the circuit of the sensor is otherwise damaged, (all of which will open the alarm circuit), the alarm system provides an audible and/or visible indication.
There are significant drawbacks to such known prior art retail display product security systems. The end of each multiconductor cord connected to the alarm system is disposed behind the retail display, or even remote from the retail display, and typically cannot readily be accessed without at least partially disassembling the retail display. Moreover, the free end of the multiconductor cord is permanently connected (i.e. hard-wired) to the sensor, as described above. Accordingly, it is difficult and time consuming to change a displayed product attached to one of the sensors, as is frequently required, since the displayed product must be physically detached from the sensor, preferably without damaging the displayed product. This problem is amplified where an entire display inventory must be simultaneously changed. Moreover, it is often necessary to perform such replacement in the retail setting itself, often in front of customers, which is highly undesirable. Further, if a displayed product requires replacement, it is preferably done immediately, which is frequently not possible, such as during busy store hours. Moreover, once a prior art sensor attached by adhesives is removed from a displayed product, the adhesive area must typically be reconditioned before the sensor can successfully be re-attached in a secure manner to the displayed product. This is not typically done in the product display area, but behind the scenes.
Finally, known prior art sensors have substantially planar attachment surfaces, and therefore cannot readily attach to curved product surfaces or to a displayed product on more than one surface, such as the back and side surfaces, for instance, which may mean that the displayed product and its battery cannot be simultaneously secured by a single sensor.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a security apparatus for secured coupling of a displayed product to a multiconductor cord, and for use with an alarm system, wherein a displayed product disconnects from a multiconductor cord in a selectively releasable manner.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a security apparatus for secured coupling of a displayed product to a multiconductor cord, and for use with an alarm system, wherein the multiconductor cord comprises a miniature electrical cable.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a security apparatus for secured coupling of a displayed product to a multiconductor cord, and for use with an alarm system, wherein the multiconductor cord is retained in a cord take-up device.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a security apparatus for secured coupling of a displayed product to a multiconductor cord, and for use with an alarm system, wherein the alarm system provides an audible and/or visible indication if the multiconductor cord is cut, if the displayed product becomes detached from the security apparatus, or if the circuitry of the security apparatus is damaged.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a security apparatus for secured coupling of a displayed product to a multiconductor cord, and for use with an alarm system, wherein the free end of the multiconductor cord is not permanently connected to the security apparatus, but is readily disconnectable therefrom in a selectively releasable manner.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a security apparatus for secured coupling of a displayed product to a multiconductor cord, and for use with an alarm system, wherein it is quick and easy to uncouple the displayed product from the multiconductor cord by authorized personnel, without the need of such personnel to gain access behind the product display.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a security apparatus for secured coupling of a displayed product to a multiconductor cord, and for use with an alarm system, wherein the displayed product may be quickly uncoupled from the displayed product without detaching the displayed product from the sensor, and wherein a new displayed product with a fresh sensor already securely attached to it may be quickly and securely coupled to the multiconductor cord in place of the original displayed product.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a security apparatus for secured coupling of a displayed product to a multiconductor cord, and for use with an alarm system, which security apparatus can simultaneously attach to a displayed product on more than one surface.